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New Zealand remains steadfast in its alliance with Australia despite “an increasingly uncertain global security environment”, according to comments from New Zealand military leadership.
New Zealand Defence Force’s newly appointed Defence Adviser to Australia, Colonel Lisa Kelliher, made the comments in relation to the 75th anniversary of the formal establishment of the Australia–New Zealand defence alliance in 2026.
Australia remains New Zealand’s only formal treaty ally, with both countries operating side by side since Gallipoli during the First World War.
COL Kelliher said the relationship is underpinned by deep trust, shared values and an extensive record of standing together in conflict, stabilisation missions, humanitarian assistance and regional security operations.
“In an increasingly uncertain global security environment, our alliance with Australia remains steadfast,” COL Kelliher said.
“It is fundamental to how we protect and advance our shared interests, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, and to how we work alongside our neighbours as trusted and reliable partners.
“This isn’t a new direction, but the natural evolution of an alliance built on decades of cooperation.
“We’re seeing more personnel exchanges between both defence organisations, expanded opportunities for joint training, and deeper dialogue on future capabilities and strategic direction.”
COL Kelliher enlisted in Ngāti Tūmatauenga, the New Zealand Army in 1994 as an Officer Cadet and completed her training in Australia at the Australian Defence Force Academy and the Royal Military College–Duntroon, graduating into the Royal New Zealand Logistics Regiment in 1997.
In 2008, she returned to Canberra to attend the Australian Defence Force Command and Staff Course, where she was recognised as the top international graduate.
She later served as military adviser to the New Zealand High Commission in Australia for three years from 2019.
“I’ve spent a significant part of my career here, including some formative years in my professional development,” COL Kelliher said.
“These experiences have given me a strong understanding of how defence policy and operations function in Canberra, but just as importantly, they have built enduring relationships on both sides of the Tasman.
“As we look ahead to an active program of bilateral and multinational engagements in 2026 and beyond, the Anzac alliance, 75 years on, continues to evolve, anchored in history but firmly focused on meeting contemporary security challenges.”
Both nations are continuing to build an increasingly integrated Anzac force, focused on greater coordination, alignment and interoperability across the land, sea, air, cyber and space domains.
In 2025, more than 600 NZDF personnel participated in Exercise Talisman Sabre, operating alongside Australian and multinational partners in one of the Indo-Pacific’s largest and most complex military exercises.
Australian Defence Force personnel also supported Exercise Tropic Twilight in the Cook Islands, a New Zealand-led annual activity delivering critical engineering and infrastructure projects across the Pacific.
